Salad rocket variety 88-001 rz

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a  Eruca sativa  seed designated 88-001 RZ, which exhibits a combination of traits including downy mildew resistance, medium to late bolting, no leaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs to emerge on a plant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair to emerge on a plant. The present invention also relates to a  Eruca sativa  plant produced by growing the 88-001 RZ seed. The invention further relates to methods for producing the salad rocket cultivar, represented by salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ.

RELATED APPLICATIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 62/288,647, filed on Jan. 29, 2016.

The foregoing application, and all documents cited therein or duringtheir prosecution (“appln cited documents”) and all documents cited orreferenced in the appln cited documents, and all documents cited orreferenced herein (“herein cited documents”), and all documents cited orreferenced in herein cited documents, together with any manufacturer'sinstructions, descriptions, product specifications, and product sheetsfor any products mentioned herein or in any document incorporated hereinby reference, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, and may beemployed in the practice of the invention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new salad rocket (Eruca sativa)variety which may exhibit a combination of traits including downy mildewresistance, medium to late bolting, no leaf division in at least thefirst three leaf pairs to emerge on a plant, round leaves of at leastthe first leaf pair to emerge on a plant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Salad rocket (Eruca sativa) is a specialty leaf vegetable also known asgarden rocket, rucola, roquette and arugula. Salad rocket is a quickgrowing crop grown for its leaves. Due to its pleasant taste it is oftenused as an ingredient in salads and other dishes.

In many production areas the production of salad rocket is beinghindered by the infection of the plants by downy mildew(Hyaloperonospora parasitica, previously called Peronospora parasitica).Downy mildew is a polycyclic disease caused by different species of theoomycete Hyaloperonospora. The obligate parasite from the genusHyaloperonospora is living on Brassica plants and related cruciferouscrops. The losses are more severe at the seedling stage than on maturehealthy plants. Young seedlings can die as a result of the infection.Cool and moist conditions are favorable for the disease development. Thedisease causes quantitative and qualitative losses of the crops.Although all (aerial) parts of the plant can be infected, the symptomsprimarily appear on the leaves. Symptoms of the disease such asdiscolored lesions and necrotic spots with brown edges can destroy thequality of the leaves. Also the quantity of the harvest is reduced dueto the downy mildew infection.

Citation or identification of any document in this application is not anadmission that such document is available as prior art to the presentinvention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There exists a need, therefore, for a salad rocket variety whichexhibits a combination of traits including downy mildew resistance,medium to late bolting, no leaf division in at least the first threeleaf pairs to emerge on a plant, round leaves of at least the first leafpair to emerge on a plant.

The present invention addresses this need by providing a new type ofsalad rocket (Eruca sativa) variety, designated 88-001 RZ. Salad rocketcultivar 88-001 RZ exhibits a combination of traits including downymildew resistance, medium to late bolting, no leaf division in at leastthe first three leaf pairs to emerge on a plant, round leaves of atleast the first leaf pair to emerge on a plant.

The present invention provides a seed of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ,a sample of seed of said variety having been deposited with the NationalCollections of Industrial, Marine and Food Bacteria (NCIMB) inBucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, Scotland, UK and having been assignedNCIMB Accession No. 42515.

The invention further relates to a plant grown from said seed of saladrocket variety 88-001 RZ.

In one embodiment, the invention relates to a plant grown from said seedof salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, which is a plant grown from seedhaving been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515.

In one embodiment, the invention provides a salad rocket plant, or apart thereof, having all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, a sample of seed ofsaid variety having been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515.

In one embodiment, the invention provides a salad rocket plantdesignated 88-001 RZ, representative seed of which have been depositedunder NCIMB Accession No. 42515, wherein said salad rocket plant maycomprise a combination of traits including downy mildew resistance,medium to late bolting, no leaf division in at least the first threeleaf pairs to emerge on a plant, round leaves of at least the first leafpair to emerge on a plant.88-00142515

In one embodiment, the invention provides a salad rocket plantdesignated 88-001 RZ, representative seed of which have been depositedunder NCIMB Accession No. 42515.

In one embodiment, the invention provides for a salad rocket plant whichmay comprise genetic information for so exhibiting a combination oftraits including downy mildew resistance, medium to late bolting, noleaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs to emerge on aplant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair to emerge on aplant, wherein the genetic information is as contained in a plant,representative seed of which having been deposited under NCIMB AccessionNo. 42515.

In one embodiment, the invention provides for a salad rocket plantexhibiting a combination of traits downy mildew resistance, medium tolate bolting, no leaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs toemerge on a plant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair toemerge on a plant, and having the genetic information for so exhibitingthe combination of traits, wherein the genetic information is ascontained in a plant, representative seed of which having been depositedunder NCIMB Accession No. 42515.

In an embodiment of the present invention, there also is provided a partof a salad rocket plant of the invention, which may include a part of asalad rocket plant exhibiting a combination of traits including downymildew resistance, medium to late bolting, no leaf division in at leastthe first three leaf pairs to emerge on a plant, round leaves of atleast the first leaf pair to emerge on a plant, or a part of a saladrocket plant having any of the aforementioned resistance(s) and acombination of traits including one or more morphological orphysiological characteristics tabulated herein, including a part ofsalad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, wherein the plant part is involved insexual reproduction, which includes, without limitation, a microspore,pollen, an ovary, an ovule, an embryo sacs or an egg cell and/or whereinthe plant part is suitable for vegetative reproduction, which includes,without limitation, a cutting, a root, a stem, a cell or a protoplastand/or wherein the plant part is a tissue culture of regenerable cellsin which the cells or protoplasts of the tissue culture are derived froma tissue such as, for example and without limitation, a leaf, pollen, anembryo, a cotyledon, a hypocotyl, a meristematic cell, a root, a roottip, an anthers, a flower, a seed or a stem. The plants of the inventionfrom which such a part may come from include those whereinrepresentative seed of which has been deposited under NCIMB AccessionNo. 42515 or salad rocket variety or cultivar designated 88-001 RZ, aswell as seed from such a plant, plant parts of such a plant (such asthose mentioned herein) and plants from such seed and/or progeny of sucha plant, advantageously progeny exhibiting such combination of suchtraits, each of which, is within the scope of the invention; and suchcombination of traits.

42515 In a further embodiment there is a salad rocket plant regeneratedfrom the above-described plant part or regenerated from theabove-described tissue culture. Advantageously such a plant may havemorphological and/or physiological characteristics of salad rocketvariety 88-001 RZ and/or of a plant grown from seed, representative seedof which having been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515—includingwithout limitation such a plant expressing all of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ and/orof a plant grown from seed, representative seed of which having beendeposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515. Advantageously, such a plantdemonstrates the traits of downy mildew resistance, medium to latebolting, no leaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs toemerge on a plant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair toemerge on a plant.

Accordingly, in still a further embodiment, there is provided a saladrocket plant having all of the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, representative seedof which having been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515. Such aplant may be grown from the seeds, regenerated from the above-describedplant parts, or regenerated from the above-described tissue culture. Asalad rocket plant having any of the aforementioned resistance(s), andone or more morphological or physiological characteristics recited ortabulated herein, and a salad rocket plant advantageously having all ofthe aforementioned resistances and the characteristics recited andtabulated herein, are preferred. Parts of such plants—such as thoseplant parts above-mentioned—are encompassed by the invention.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the invention relates to amethod of vegetatively propagating a plant of salad rocket variety88-001 RZ which may comprise (a) collecting tissue capable of beingpropagated from a plant of salad rocket 88-001 RZ, a sample of seed ofsaid variety having been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515, and(b) producing a rooted plant from said tissue.

In one embodiment, there is provided a method for producing a progeny ofsalad rocket cultivar 88-001 RZ which may comprise crossing a plantdesignated 88-001 RZ with itself or with another salad rocket plant,harvesting the resultant seed, and growing said seed.

In a further embodiment there is provided a progeny plant produced bysexual or vegetative reproduction, grown from seeds, regenerated fromthe above-described plant parts, or regenerated from the above-describedtissue culture of the salad rocket cultivar or a progeny plant thereof,representative seed of which having been deposited under NCIMB AccessionNo. 42515. The progeny may have any of the aforementioned resistance(s),and one or more morphological or physiological characteristics recitedor tabulated herein, and a progeny plant advantageously having all ofthe aforementioned resistances and the characteristics recited andtabulated herein, are preferred. Advantageously, the progenydemonstrates the traits of downy mildew resistance, medium to latebolting, no leaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs toemerge on a plant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair toemerge on a plant.

Progeny of the salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ may be modified in one ormore other characteristics, in which the modification is a result of,for example and without limitation, mutagenesis or transformation with atransgene.

In still another embodiment, the present invention provides progeny ofsalad rocket cultivar 88-001 RZ produced by sexual or vegetativereproduction, grown from seeds, regenerated from the above-describedplant parts, or regenerated from the above-described tissue culture ofthe salad rocket cultivar or a progeny plant thereof, in which theregenerated plant shows a combination of traits including downy mildewresistance, medium to late bolting, no leaf division in at least thefirst three leaf pairs to emerge on a plant, round leaves of at leastthe first leaf pair to emerge on a plant.

In still a further embodiment, the invention provides a method ofproducing a hybrid salad rocket seed which may comprise crossing a firstparent salad rocket plant with a second parent salad rocket plant andharvesting the resultant hybrid salad rocket seed, in which the firstparent salad rocket plant or the second parent salad rocket plant may bea salad rocket plant of the invention, e.g. a salad rocket plant havinga combination of traits including downy mildew resistance, medium tolate bolting, no leaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs toemerge on a plant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair toemerge on a plant and one or more morphological or physiologicalcharacteristics tabulated herein, including a salad rocket plant ofsalad rocket cultivar 88-001 RZ, representative seed of which havingbeen deposited under 42515.

In another embodiment, the invention provides producing a salad rocketplant which may exhibit a combination of traits including downy mildewresistance, medium to late bolting, no leaf division in at least thefirst three leaf pairs to emerge on a plant, round leaves of at leastthe first leaf pair to emerge on a plant which may comprise: crossing amother salad rocket plant with a father salad rocket plant to produce ahybrid seed; growing said hybrid seed to produce a hybrid plant; selfingsaid hybrid plant to produce F2 progeny seed; growing said F2 progenyseed to produce F2-plants; selecting said F2-plants for exhibiting acombination of traits including downy mildew resistance, medium to latebolting, no leaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs toemerge on a plant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair toemerge on a plant.

Advantageously the selfing and selection may be repeated; for example atleast once, or at least twice, thrice, four times, five times, six timesor more, to produce F3 or F4 or F5 or F6 or subsequent progeny,especially as progeny from F2 may exhibit the aforementioned combinationof traits, and may be desirable.

In still a further embodiment, the invention provides a method ofproducing a salad rocket cultivar which may exhibit a combination oftraits including downy mildew resistance, medium to late bolting, noleaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs to emerge on aplant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair to emerge on aplant.

The invention even further relates to a method of producing salad rocketwhich may comprise: (a) cultivating to the vegetative plant stage aplant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, representative seed of whichhaving been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515, and (b)harvesting salad rocket leaves or heads from the plant. The inventionfurther comprehends packaging and/or processing the salad rocket plants,heads or leaves.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to not encompass withinthe invention any previously known product, process of making theproduct, or method of using the product such that Applicants reserve theright and hereby disclose a disclaimer of any previously known product,process, or method. It is further noted that the invention does notintend to encompass within the scope of the invention any product,process, or making of the product or method of using the product, whichdoes not meet the written description and enablement requirements of theUSPTO (35 U.S.C. §112, first paragraph) or the EPO (Article 83 of theEPC), such that Applicants reserve the right and hereby disclose adisclaimer of any previously described product, process of making theproduct, or method of using the product.

It is noted that in this disclosure and particularly in the claims,terms such as “comprises”, “comprised”, and “comprising” and the like(e.g., “includes”, “included”, “including”, “contains”, “contained”,“containing”, “has”, “had”, “having”, etc.) can have the meaningascribed to them in US Patent law, i.e., they are open ended terms. Forexample, any method that “comprises,” “has” or “includes” one or moresteps is not limited to possessing only those one or more steps and alsocovers other unlisted steps. Similarly, any plant that “comprises,”“has” or “includes” one or more traits is not limited to possessing onlythose one or more traits and covers other unlisted traits. Similarly,the terms “consists essentially of” and “consisting essentially of” havethe meaning ascribed to them in US Patent law, e.g., they allow forelements not explicitly recited, but exclude elements that are found inthe prior art or that affect a basic or novel characteristic of theinvention. See also MPEP § 2111.03. In addition, the term “about” isused to indicate that a value includes the standard deviation of errorfor the device or method being employed to determine the value.

These and other embodiments are disclosed or are obvious from andencompassed by the following Detailed Description.

DEPOSIT

The Deposit with NCIMB Ltd, Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate,Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, UK, on Jan. 22, 2016, under depositaccession number 42515 was made pursuant to the terms of the BudapestTreaty. Upon issuance of a patent, all restrictions upon the depositwill be removed, and the deposit is intended to meet the requirements of37 CFR § 1.801-1.809. The deposit will be irrevocably and withoutrestriction or condition released to the public upon the issuance of apatent and for the enforceable life of the patent. The deposit will bemaintained in the depository for a period of 30 years, or 5 years afterthe last request, or for the effective life of the patent, whichever islonger, and will be replaced if necessary during that period.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description, given by way of example, but notintended to limit the invention solely to the specific embodimentsdescribed, may best be understood in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of five different levels of leaf division. Thedivision of the leaf should be observed in the middle third of the leaf.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of two different leaf shapes: a circular andelliptic with a round top.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides methods and compositions relating to plants,seeds and derivatives of a new salad rocket variety herein referred toas salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ. Salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ is auniform and stable line, distinct from other such lines.

In a preferred embodiment, the specific type of breeding method employedfor developing a salad rocket cultivar is pedigree selection, where bothsingle plant selection and mass selection practices are employed.Pedigree selection, also known as the “Vilmorin system of selection,” isdescribed in Fehr, W., Principles of Cultivar Development, Volume I,MacMillan Publishing Co., which is hereby incorporated by reference.

When pedigree selection is applied, in general selection is firstpracticed among F₂ plants. In the next season, the most desirable F₃lines are first identified, and then desirable F₃ plants within eachline are selected. The following season and in all subsequentgenerations of inbreeding, the most desirable families are identifiedfirst, then desirable lines within the selected families are chosen, andfinally desirable plants within selected lines are harvestedindividually. A family refers to lines that were derived from plantsselected from the same progeny from the preceding generation. Using thispedigree method, two parents may be crossed using an emasculated femaleand a pollen donor (male) to produce F₁ offspring.

Parental varieties are selected from commercial varieties thatindividually exhibit one or more desired phenotypes. Additionally, anybreeding method involving selection of plants for the desired phenotypemay be used in the method of the present invention.

The F₁ may be self-pollinated to produce a segregating F₂ generation.Individual plants may then be selected which represent the desiredphenotype in each generation (F₃, F₄, F₅, etc.) until the traits arehomozygous or fixed within a breeding population.

A detailed description of the development of salad rocket variety 88-001RZ is described in Table 1. The seedlot produced in year 4 was depositedwith the NCIMB under deposit number 42515.

TABLE 1 Year Description 0 F1 Pedigree selection from S 09.62006 1 S1F1Plant selected and self fertilized 2 S2F1 Plant selected and selffertilized 3 S3F1 Plant selected and self fertilized 4 M1S3F1 Generationgrown (in mass)

In one embodiment, a plant of the invention has all the morphologicaland physiological characteristics of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ.These characteristics of a salad rocket plant of the invention, e.g.variety 88-001 RZ, are summarized and compared to its closest publiclyavailable variety in Table 2.

The information presented in Table 2 was determined in trial experimentsin accordance with the UPOV TG/245/1 Form (Guidelines for the Conduct ofTests for Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability, International Unionfor the Protection of New Varieties of Plants). The terminology used inthese tables is the official terminology found and defined in the UPOVTG/245/1 as of the filing date, and is thus clear for a person skilledin the art.

TABLE 2 Physiological and morphological characteristics of 88-001 RZ incomparison with closest known variety “Astro II”. Character 88-001 RZAstro II Ploidy Diploid Diploid Leaf 1. Attitude Erect (1) Erect (1) 2.Color of blade Green (2) Green (2) 3. Intensity of color Very dark (8)Medium to dark (6) Long 4. Length Short (1) (7) 5. Width Narrow tomedium (4) Medium (5) 6. Division Absent or weak (1) Absent or weak (1)7. Width of primary Very broad (9) Very broad (9) lobes 8. Secondarylobing Absent or very weak (1) Absent or very weak (1) 9. Undulation ofWeak (3) Weak (3) margin 10. Hairiness Very weak (1) Very weak (2) 11.Time of Medium to late (6) Late (7) flowering Plant 12. Height at Shortto medium (4) Medium to long (6) flowering stage Flower 13. Color ofpetals Cream (2) Whitish (1) 14. Anthocyanin Strong (3) Strong (3)coloration of veins

Aside from the morphological and physiological characteristics mentionedin Table 2, a plant of the invention also exhibits downy mildewresistance, medium to late bolting, no leaf division in at least thefirst three leaf pairs to emerge on a plant, round leaves of at leastthe first leaf pair to emerge on a plant.

As used herein, resistance to downy mildew is defined as the ability ofa plant to resist infection by Hyaloperonospora parasitica strainPp0615. This isolate may be obtained upon request from the applicant,Rijk Zwaan. Resistance is tested by inoculating a relevant number ofplants, such as 30, with spores of Hyaloperonospora parasitica strainP90615 after having grown the plants for about 2 weeks at a temperatureregime of 14/12° C. day/night, and observing symptoms of downy mildewinfection, including the formation of discoloured lesions, necroticspots with brown edges and sporulation, 10 and 17 days later. Resistantplants show no symptoms of downy mildew infection. Salad rocket variety88-001 RZ exhibits a resistance to Hyaloperonospora parasitica, inparticular a resistance to Hyaloperonospora parasitica strain Pp0615.

As used herein, bolting is defined as the time it requires for 50% ofthe plants to begin to have a central flowering stem appear. Bolting isdetermined by comparison to standard varieties Highway and Runway.Highway is a medium bolting variety and Runway is a late boltingvariety. Salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ has a timing of bolting that isin between that of medium bolting variety Highway and late boltingvariety Runway, and is therefore considered a medium to late boltingvariety.

As used herein, leaf division is defined in concordance with thedefinition on the UPOV TG/245/1 Form. Five different levels of leafdivision are recognized and are shown in FIG. 1: absent or very weak,weak, medium, strong and very strong leaf division. As described on theUPOV TG/245/1 Form leaf division should be observed in the middle thirdof the leaf. Leaf division is absent in at least the first three trueleaf pairs of plants of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ. In subsequentlyemerging leaves on plants of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ the level ofleaf division gradually increases up to at maximum a medium leafdivision of the youngest leaves on old plants of salad rocket variety88-001 RZ.

At least the first leaf pair of plants of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZhas round leaves with a circular shape, as shown in FIG. 2. The ratiobetween the length and the width of these leaves is around 1:1. Afterthe first true leaf pair the length to width ratio of subsequentlyemerging leaves gradually increases, and subsequently emerging leavesgradually have a more elliptic leaf shape with a round top, as shown inFIG. 2.

In an embodiment, the invention relates to a salad rocket plant that hasall the morphological and physiological characteristics of the inventionand has acquired said characteristics by introduction of the geneticinformation that is responsible for the characteristics from a suitablesource, either by conventional breeding, or genetic modification, inparticular by cisgenesis or transgenesis. Cisgenesis is geneticmodification of plants with a natural gene, coding for an (agricultural)trait, from the crop plant itself or from a sexually compatible donorplant. Transgenesis is genetic modification of a plant with a gene froma non-crossable species or a synthetic gene.

Just as useful traits that may be introduced by backcrossing, usefultraits may be introduced directly into the plant of the invention, beinga plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, by genetic transformationtechniques; and, such plants of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ that haveadditional genetic information introduced into the genome or thatexpress additional traits by having the DNA coding there for introducedinto the genome via transformation techniques, are within the ambit ofthe invention, as well as uses of such plants, and the making of suchplants.

Genetic transformation may therefore be used to insert a selectedtransgene into the plant of the invention, being a plant of salad rocketvariety 88-001 RZ or may, alternatively, be used for the preparation oftransgenes which may be introduced by backcrossing. Methods for thetransformation of plants, including salad rocket, are well known tothose of skill in the art.

Vectors used for the transformation of salad rocket cells are notlimited so long as the vector may express an inserted DNA in the cells.For example, vectors which may comprise promoters for constitutive geneexpression in salad rocket cells (e.g., cauliflower mosaic virus 35Spromoter) and promoters inducible by exogenous stimuli may be used.Examples of suitable vectors include pBI binary vector. The “saladrocket cell” into which the vector is to be introduced includes variousforms of salad rocket cells, such as cultured cell suspensions,protoplasts, leaf sections, and callus. A vector may be introduced intosalad rocket cells by known methods, such as the polyethylene glycolmethod, polycation method, electroporation, Agrobacterium-mediatedtransfer, particle bombardment and direct DNA uptake by protoplasts. Toeffect transformation by electroporation, one may employ either friabletissues, such as a suspension culture of cells or embryogenic callus oralternatively one may transform immature embryos or other organizedtissue directly. In this technique, one would partially degrade the cellwalls of the chosen cells by exposing them to pectin-degrading enzymes(pectolyases) or mechanically wound tissues in a controlled manner.

A particularly efficient method for delivering transforming DNA segmentsto plant cells is microprojectile bombardment. In this method, particlesare coated with nucleic acids and delivered into cells by a propellingforce. Exemplary particles include those which may be comprised oftungsten, platinum, and preferably, gold. For the bombardment, cells insuspension are concentrated on filters or solid culture medium.Alternatively, immature embryos or other target cells may be arranged onsolid culture medium. The cells to be bombarded are positioned at anappropriate distance below the macroprojectile stopping plate. Anillustrative embodiment of a method for delivering DNA into plant cellsby acceleration is the Biolistics Particle Delivery System, which may beused to propel particles coated with DNA or cells through a screen, suchas a stainless steel or Nytex screen, onto a surface covered with targetsalad rocket cells. The screen disperses the particles so that they arenot delivered to the recipient cells in large aggregates. It is believedthat a screen intervening between the projectile apparatus and the cellsto be bombarded reduces the size of projectiles aggregate and maycontribute to a higher frequency of transformation by reducing thedamage inflicted on the recipient cells by projectiles that are toolarge. Microprojectile bombardment techniques are widely applicable, andmay be used to transform virtually any plant species, including a plantof salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ.

Agrobacterium-mediated transfer is another widely applicable system forintroducing gene loci into plant cells. An advantage of the technique isthat DNA may be introduced into whole plant tissues, thereby bypassingthe need for regeneration of an intact plant from a protoplast.Agrobacterium transformation vectors are capable of replication in E.coli as well as Agrobacterium, allowing for convenient manipulations.Moreover, advances in vectors for Agrobacterium-mediated gene transferhave improved the arrangement of genes and restriction sites in thevectors to facilitate the construction of vectors capable of expressingvarious polypeptide coding genes. The vectors have convenientmulti-linker regions flanked by a promoter and a polyadenylation sitefor direct expression of inserted polypeptide coding genes.Additionally, Agrobacterium containing both armed and disarmed Ti genesmay be used for transformation. In those plant strains whereAgrobacterium-mediated transformation is efficient, it is the method ofchoice because of the facile and defined nature of the gene locustransfer. The use of Agrobacterium-mediated plant integrating vectors tointroduce DNA into plant cells, including lettuce plant cells, is wellknown in the art (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,250,560 and 5,563,055).

Transformation of plant protoplasts also may be achieved using methodsbased on calcium phosphate precipitation, polyethylene glycol treatment,electroporation, and combinations of these treatments.

A number of promoters have utility for plant gene expression for anygene of interest including but not limited to selectable markers,scoreable markers, genes for pest tolerance, disease resistance,nutritional enhancements and any other gene of agronomic interest.Examples of constitutive promoters useful for salad rocket plant geneexpression include, but are not limited to, the cauliflower mosaic virus(CaMV) P-35S promoter, a tandemly duplicated version of the CaMV 35Spromoter, the enhanced 35S promoter (P-e3 5 S), the nopaline synthasepromoter, the octopine synthase promoter, the figwort mosaic virus(P-FMV) promoter (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,619), an enhanced version ofthe FMV promoter (P-eFMV) where the promoter sequence of P-FMV isduplicated in tandem, the cauliflower mosaic virus 19S promoter, asugarcane bacilliform virus promoter, a commelina yellow mottle viruspromoter, the promoter for the thylakoid membrane proteins from lettuce(psaD, psaF, psaE, PC, FNR, atpC, atpD, cab, rbcS) (see U.S. Pat. No.7,161,061), the CAB-1 promoter from spinach (see U.S. Pat No.7,663,027), the promoter from maize prolamin seed storage protein (seeU.S. Pat No. 7,119,255), and other plant DNA virus promoters known toexpress in plant cells. A variety of plant gene promoters that areregulated in response to environmental, hormonal, chemical, and/ordevelopmental signals may be used for expression of an operably linkedgene in plant cells, including promoters regulated by (1) heat, (2)light (e.g., pea rbcS-3A promoter, maize rbcS promoter, or chlorophylla/b-binding protein promoter), (3) hormones, such as abscisic acid, (4)wounding (e.g., wunl, or (5) chemicals such as methyl jasmonate,salicylic acid, or Safener. It may also be advantageous to employorgan-specific promoters.

Exemplary nucleic acids which may be introduced to the salad rocketvariety of this invention include, for example, DNA sequences or genesfrom another species, or even genes or sequences which originate with orare present in salad rocket species, but are incorporated into recipientcells by genetic engineering methods rather than classical reproductionor breeding techniques. However, the term “exogenous” is also intendedto refer to genes that are not normally present in the cell beingtransformed, or perhaps simply not present in the form, structure, etc.,as found in the transforming DNA segment or gene, or genes which arenormally present and that one desires to express in a manner thatdiffers from the natural expression pattern, e.g., to over-express.Thus, the term “exogenous” gene or DNA is intended to refer to any geneor DNA segment that is introduced into a recipient cell, regardless ofwhether a similar gene may already be present in such a cell. The typeof DNA included in the exogenous DNA may include DNA which is alreadypresent in the plant cell, DNA from another plant, DNA from a differentorganism, or a DNA generated externally, such as a DNA sequencecontaining an antisense message of a gene, or a DNA sequence encoding asynthetic or modified version of a gene.

Many hundreds if not thousands of different genes are known and couldpotentially be introduced into a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001RZ. Non-limiting examples of particular genes and correspondingphenotypes one may choose to introduce into a salad rocket plant includeone or more genes for insect tolerance, pest tolerance such as genes forfungal disease control, herbicide tolerance, and genes for qualityimprovements such as yield, nutritional enhancements, environmental orstress tolerances, or any desirable changes in plant physiology, growth,development, morphology or plant product(s).

Alternatively, the DNA coding sequences may affect these phenotypes byencoding a non-translatable RNA molecule that causes the targetedinhibition of expression of an endogenous gene, for example viaantisense- or cosuppression-mediated mechanisms. The RNA could also be acatalytic RNA molecule (i.e., a ribozyme) engineered to cleave a desiredendogenous mRNA product. Thus, any gene which produces a protein or mRNAwhich expresses a phenotype or morphology change of interest is usefulfor the practice of the present invention. (See also U.S. Pat No.7,576,262, “Modified gene-silencing RNA and uses thereof.”)

U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,230,158, 7,122,720, 7,081,363, 6,734,341, 6,503,732,6,392,121, 6,087,560, 5,981,181, 5,977,060, 5,608,146, 5,516,667, eachof which, and all documents cited therein are hereby incorporated hereinby reference, consistent with the above INCORPORATION BY REFERENCEsection, are additionally cited as examples of U.S. Patents that mayconcern transformed salad rocket and/or methods of transforming saladrocket or salad rocket plant cells, and techniques from these USPatents, as well as promoters, vectors, etc., may be employed in thepractice of this invention to introduce exogenous nucleic acidsequence(s) into a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ (or cellsthereof), and exemplify some exogenous nucleic acid sequence(s) whichmay be introduced into a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ (orcells thereof) of the invention, as well as techniques, promoters,vectors etc., to thereby obtain further plants of salad rocket variety88-001 RZ, plant parts and cells, seeds, other propagation materialharvestable parts of these plants, etc. of the invention, e.g. tissueculture, including a cell or protoplast, such as an embryo, meristem,cotyledon, pollen, leaf, anther, root, root tip, pistil, flower, seed orstalk.

The invention further relates to propagation material for producingplants of the invention. Such propagation material may comprise interalia seeds of the claimed plant and parts of the plant that are involvedin sexual reproduction. Such parts are for example selected from thegroup consisting of seeds, microspores, pollen, ovaries, ovules, embryosacs and egg cells. In addition, the invention relates to propagationmaterial which may comprise parts of the plant that are suitable forvegetative reproduction, for example cuttings, roots, stems, cells,protoplasts.

According to a further aspect thereof the propagation material of theinvention may comprise a tissue culture of the claimed plant. The tissueculture may comprise regenerable cells. Such tissue culture may bederived from leaves, pollen, embryos, cotyledon, hypocotyls,meristematic cells, roots, root tips, anthers, flowers, seeds and stems.(See generally U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,876).

The invention provides a method of producing a salad rocket seed whichmay comprise crossing a male parent salad rocket plant with a saladrocket parent plant and harvesting the resultant salad rocket seed,wherein said male parent salad rocket plant and/or said female parentsalad rocket plant is the salad rocket plant of grown from a seed ofsalad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, a sample of seed of said variety havingbeen deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515. The invention includes asalad rocket seed produced by this method and a salad rocket plantproduced by growing said seed.

Also, the invention comprehends methods for producing a seed of a“88-001 RZ”-derived salad rocket plant which may comprise (a) crossing aplant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, representative seed of whichhaving been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515, with a secondsalad rocket plant, and (b) whereby seed of a 88-001 RZ-derived saladrocket plant forms. Such a method may further comprise (c) crossing aplant grown from 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket seed with itself or witha second salad rocket plant to yield additional 88-001 RZ-derived saladrocket seed, (d) growing the additional 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocketseed of step (c) to yield additional 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocketplants, and (e) repeating the crossing and growing of steps (c) and (d)for an additional 3-10 generations to generate further 88-001 RZ-derivedsalad rocket plants, and (f) whereby seed of a 88-001 RZ-derived saladrocket plant forms.

The invention further relates to the above-described methods that mayfurther comprise selecting at steps b), d), and e), a 88-001 RZ-derivedsalad rocket plant, exhibiting a combination of traits including downymildew resistance, medium to late bolting, no leaf division in at leastthe first three leaf pairs to emerge on a plant, round leaves of atleast the first leaf pair to emerge on a plant.

The invention even further relates to a seed produced by theabove-described methods.

In particular, the invention relates to methods for producing a seed ofa 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket plant which may comprise (a) crossing aplant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, representative seed of whichhaving been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515, with a secondsalad rocket plant and (b) whereby seed of a 88-001 RZ-derived saladrocket plant forms, wherein such a method may further comprise (c)crossing a plant grown from 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket seed withitself or with a second salad rocket plant to yield additional 88-001RZ-derived salad rocket seed, (d) growing the additional 88-001RZ-derived salad rocket seed of step (c) to yield additional 88-001RZ-derived salad rocket plants and selecting plants exhibiting acombination of the traits including downy mildew resistance, medium tolate bolting, no leaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs toemerge on a plant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair toemerge on a plant, and (e) repeating the crossing and growing of steps(c) and (d) for an additional 3-10 generations to further generate88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket plants that exhibit a combination oftraits including downy mildew resistance, medium to late bolting, noleaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs to emerge on aplant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair to emerge on aplant.

The invention additionally provides a method of introducing at least onenew trait into a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ which maycomprise: (a) crossing a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ,representative seed of which having been deposited under NCIMB AccessionNo. 42515, with a second salad rocket plant that may comprise at leastone new trait to produce progeny seed; (b) harvesting and planting theprogeny seed to produce at least one progeny plant of a subsequentgeneration, wherein the progeny plant may comprise the at least one newtrait; (c) crossing the progeny plant with a plant of salad rocketvariety 88-001 RZ to produce backcross progeny seed; (d) harvesting andplanting the backcross progeny seed to produce a backcross progenyplant; and (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) for at least three additionalgenerations to produce a salad rocket plant of variety 88-001 RZ whichmay comprise at least one new trait and all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001RZ, when grown in the same environmental conditions. This method maycomprise introducing a mutation or transgene conferring the at least onenew trait into a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ. The invention,of course, includes a salad rocket plant produced by this method.

Backcrossing may also be used to improve an inbred plant. Backcrossingtransfers a specific desirable trait from one inbred or non-inbredsource to an inbred that lacks that trait. This may be accomplished, forexample, by first crossing a superior inbred (A) (recurrent parent) to adonor inbred (non-recurrent parent), which carries the appropriate locusor loci for the trait in question. The progeny of this cross are thenmated back to the superior recurrent parent (A) followed by selection inthe resultant progeny for the desired trait to be transferred from thenon-recurrent parent. After five or more backcross generations withselection for the desired trait, the progeny are heterozygous for locicontrolling the characteristic being transferred, but are like thesuperior parent for most or almost all other loci. The last backcrossgeneration would be selfed to give pure breeding progeny for the traitbeing transferred. When a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ,representative seed of which having been deposited under NCIMB AccessionNo. 42515, is used in backcrossing, offspring retaining the combinationof traits including downy mildew resistance, medium to late bolting, noleaf division in at least the first three leaf pairs to emerge on aplant, round leaves of at least the first leaf pair to emerge on a plantare progeny within the ambit of the invention. Backcrossing methods maybe used with the present invention to improve or introduce acharacteristic into a plant of the invention, being a plant of saladrocket variety 88-001 RZ. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,705,206(incorporated herein by reference consistent with the aboveINCORPORATION BY REFERENCE section), for a general discussion relatingto backcrossing.

The invention further involves a method of determining the genotype of aplant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, representative seed of whichhas been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515, or a firstgeneration progeny thereof, which may comprise obtaining a sample ofnucleic acids from said plant and comparing said nucleic acids to asample of nucleic acids obtained from a reference plant, and detecting aplurality of polymorphisms between the two nucleic acid samples. Thismethod may additionally comprise the step of storing the results ofdetecting the plurality of polymorphisms on a computer readable medium.The plurality of polymorphisms are indicative of and/or give rise to theexpression of any one or more, or all, of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ.

There are various ways of obtaining genotype data from a nucleic acidsample. Genotype data may be gathered which is specific for certainphenotypic traits (e.g. gene sequences), but also patterns of randomgenetic variation may be obtained to construct a so-called DNAfingerprint. Depending on the technique used a fingerprint may beobtained that is unique for salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ. Obtaining aunique DNA fingerprint depends on the genetic variation present in avariety and the sensitivity of the fingerprinting technique. A techniqueknown in the art to provide a good fingerprint profile is called AFLPfingerprinting technique (See generally U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,215), butthere are many other marker based techniques, such as RFLP (orRestriction fragment length polymorphism), SSLP (or Simple sequencelength polymorphism), RAPD (or Random amplification of polymorphic DNA)VNTR (or Variable number tandem repeat), Microsatellite polymorphism,SSR (or Simple sequence repeat), STR (or Short tandem repeat), SFP (orSingle feature polymorphism) DArT (or Diversity Arrays Technology), RADmarkers (or Restriction site associated DNA markers) (e.g. Baird et al.PloS One Vol. 3 e3376, 2008; Semagn et al. African Journal ofBiotechnology Vol. 5 number 25 pp. 2540-2568, 29 Dec., 2006). Nowadays,sequence-based methods are utilizing Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms(SNPs) that are randomly distributed across genomes, as a common toolfor genotyping (e.g. Elshire et al. PloS One Vol. 6: e19379, 2011;Poland et al. PloS One Vol. 7: e32253; Truong et al. PLoS One Vol. 7number 5: e37565, 2012).

With any of the aforementioned genotyping techniques, polymorphisms maybe detected when the genotype and/or sequence of the plant of interestis compared to the genotype and/or sequence of one or more referenceplants. As used herein, the genotype and/or sequence of a referenceplant may be derived from, but is not limited to, any one of thefollowing: parental lines, closely related plant varieties or species,complete genome sequence of a related plant variety or species, or thede novo assembled genome sequence of one or more related plant varietiesor species. For example, it is possible to detect polymorphisms for thecharacteristic of round leaves of at least the first leaf pair to emergeon a plant by comparing the genotype and/or the sequence of salad rocketvariety 88-001 RZ with the genotype and/or the sequence of one or morereference plants. The reference plant(s) used for comparison in thisexample may for example be, but is not limited to, any of the comparisonvarieties Astro II.

The polymorphism revealed by these techniques may be used to establishlinks between genotype and phenotype. The polymorphisms may thus be usedto predict or identify certain phenotypic characteristics, individuals,or even species. The polymorphisms are generally called markers. It iscommon practice for the skilled artisan to apply molecular DNAtechniques for generating polymorphisms and creating markers.

The polymorphisms of this invention may be provided in a variety ofmediums to facilitate use, e.g. a database or computer readable medium,which may also contain descriptive annotations in a form that allows askilled artisan to examine or query the polymorphisms and obtain usefulinformation.

As used herein “database” refers to any representation of retrievablecollected data including computer files such as text files, databasefiles, spreadsheet files and image files, printed tabulations andgraphical representations and combinations of digital and image datacollections. In a preferred aspect of the invention, “database” refersto a memory system that may store computer searchable information.

As used herein, “computer readable media” refers to any medium that maybe read and accessed directly by a computer. Such media include, but arenot limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc,storage medium and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as CD-ROM;electrical storage media such as RAM, DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, ROM; and PROMs(EPROM, EEPROM, Flash EPROM), and hybrids of these categories such asmagnetic/optical storage media. A skilled artisan may readily appreciatehow any of the presently known computer readable mediums may be used tocreate a manufacture which may comprise computer readable medium havingrecorded thereon a polymorphism of the present invention.

As used herein, “recorded” refers to the result of a process for storinginformation in a retrievable database or computer readable medium. Forinstance, a skilled artisan may readily adopt any of the presently knownmethods for recording information on computer readable medium togenerate media which may comprise the polymorphisms of the presentinvention. A variety of data storage structures are available to askilled artisan for creating a computer readable medium where the choiceof the data storage structure will generally be based on the meanschosen to access the stored information. In addition, a variety of dataprocessor programs and formats may be used to store the polymorphisms ofthe present invention on computer readable medium.

The present invention further provides systems, particularlycomputer-based systems, which contain the polymorphisms describedherein. Such systems are designed to identify the polymorphisms of thisinvention. As used herein, “a computer-based system” refers to thehardware, software and memory used to analyze the polymorphisms. Askilled artisan may readily appreciate that any one of the currentlyavailable computer-based system are suitable for use in the presentinvention.

The invention relates to a method of producing salad rocket leaves as afood product which may comprise sowing the seed of salad rocket variety88-001 RZ, and growing the seed into a harvestable salad rocket plantand harvesting the leaves of said plant.

The invention further includes a method for producing salad rocketleaves as a fresh vegetable which may comprise packaging leaves of aplant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, and a method for producingsalad rocket leaves as a processed food which may comprise processingleaves of a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ.

Salad rocket leaves are sold in packaged form, including withoutlimitation as pre-packaged salad rocket salad or as salad rocket heads.Mention is made of U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,136, incorporated herein byreference consistent with the above INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE section,which provides packaging film, and packages from such packaging film,including such packaging containing leafy produce, and methods formaking and using such packaging film and packages, which are suitablefor use with the salad rocket leaves of the invention. Thus, theinvention comprehends the use of and methods for making and using theleaves of the salad rocket plant of the invention, as well as leaves ofsalad rocket plants derived from the invention. The invention furtherrelates to a container which may comprise one or more plants of theinvention, or one or more salad rocket plants derived from a plant ofthe invention, for harvest of leaves from the plant. This way theconsumer may pick very fresh leaves for use in salads. More generally,the invention includes one or more plants of the invention or one ormore plants derived from salad rocket of the invention, wherein theplant is in a ready-to-harvest condition, including with the consumerpicking his own, and further including a container which may compriseone or more of these plants.

The invention is further described by the following numbered paragraphs:

-   -   1. A seed of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, a sample of seed of        said variety having been deposited under NCIMB Accession No.        42515.    -   2. A plant grown from the seed of paragraph 1.    -   3. The salad rocket plant of paragraph 2, which is a plant grown        from seed having been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515.    -   5. A salad rocket plant, or a part thereof, having all the        physiological and morphological characteristics of the salad        rocket plant of paragraph 2.    -   6. A part of the plant of paragraph 5, wherein said part is a        microspore, pollen, an ovary, an ovule, an embryo sac or an egg        cell, a cutting, a root, a stem, a cell or a protoplast.    -   7. A tissue culture of regenerable cells or protoplasts from the        salad rocket plant or plant part of paragraph 5.    -   8. The tissue culture as defined in paragraph 7, wherein said        cells or protoplasts of the tissue culture are derived from a        leaf, pollen, an embryo, a cotyledon, a hypocotyl, a        meristematic cell, a root, a root tip, an anther, a flower, a        seed or a stem.    -   9. A salad rocket plant regenerated from the tissue culture of        paragraph 7 or 8, wherein the regenerated plant expresses all of        the physiological and morphological characteristics of salad        rocket variety 88-001 RZ a sample of seed of said variety having        been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515.    -   10. A method of vegetatively propagating a plant of salad rocket        variety 88-001 RZ comprising (a) collecting tissue capable of        being propagated from a plant of salad rocket 88-001 RZ, a        sample of seed of said variety having been deposited under NCIMB        Accession No. 42515, and (b) producing a rooted plant from said        tissue.    -   11. A method of producing a salad rocket seed comprising        crossing a male parent salad rocket plant with a salad rocket        parent plant and harvesting the resultant salad rocket seed,        wherein said male parent salad rocket plant and/or said female        parent salad rocket plant is the salad rocket plant of paragraph        2.    -   12. A salad rocket seed produced by the method of paragraph 11.    -   13. A salad rocket plant produced by growing the seed of        paragraph 12.    -   14. A method for producing a seed of a 88-001 RZ-derived salad        rocket plant comprising (a) crossing a plant of salad rocket        variety 88-001 RZ, representative seed of which having been        deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515, with a second salad        rocket plant, and (b) whereby seed of a 88-001 RZ-derived salad        rocket plant forms.    -   15. The method of paragraph 14 further comprising (c) crossing a        plant grown from 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket seed with itself        or with a second salad rocket plant to yield additional 88-001        RZ-derived salad rocket seed, (d) growing the additional 88-001        RZ-derived salad rocket seed of step (c) to yield additional        88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket plants, and (e) repeating the        crossing and growing of steps (c) and (d) for an additional 3-10        generations to generate further 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket        plants, and (f) whereby seed of a 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket        plant forms.    -   16. A seed produced by the method of paragraphs 14 or 15.    -   17. A method of introducing at least one new trait into a plant        of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ comprising: (a) crossing a        plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, representative seed of        which having been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515,        with a second salad rocket plant that comprises at least one new        trait to produce progeny seed; (b) harvesting and planting the        progeny seed to produce at least one progeny plant of a        subsequent generation, wherein the progeny plant comprises the        at least one new trait; (c) crossing the progeny plant with a        plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ to produce backcross        progeny seed; (d) harvesting and planting the backcross progeny        seed to produce a backcross progeny plant; and (e) repeating        steps (c) and (d) for at least three additional generations to        produce a salad rocket plant of variety 88-001 RZ comprising at        least one new trait and all of the physiological and        morphological characteristics of a plant of salad rocket variety        88-001 RZ, when grown in the same environmental conditions.    -   18. A method of producing a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001        RZ comprising at least one new trait, the method comprising        introducing a mutation or transgene conferring the at least one        new trait into a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ,        wherein a sample of seed of said variety has been deposited        under NCIMB Accession No. 42515.    -   19. The salad rocket plant produced by the method of paragraph        17 or 18.    -   20. A method for producing salad rocket leaves as food product        comprising sowing the seed of paragraph 1 and growing the seed        into a harvestable salad rocket plant and harvesting the leaves        of said plant.    -   21. A method for producing salad rocket leaves as a fresh        vegetable comprising packaging leaves of a plant of paragraph 2.    -   22. A method for producing salad rocket leaves as a processed        food comprising processing leaves of a plant of paragraph 2.    -   23. A container comprising one or more salad rocket plants of        paragraph 2 for harvest of leaves.    -   24. A method of determining the genotype of a plant of salad        rocket variety 88-001 RZ, representative seed of which has been        deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515, or a first generation        progeny thereof, comprising obtaining a sample of nucleic acids        from said plant and comparing said nucleic acids to a sample of        nucleic acids obtained from a reference plant, and detecting a        plurality of polymorphisms between the two nucleic acid samples,        wherein the plurality of polymorphisms are indicative of salad        rocket variety 88-001 RZ and/or give rise to the expression of        any one or more, or all, of the morphological and physiological        characteristics of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ as defined in        paragraph 2.

Having thus described in detail preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, it is to be understood that the invention is not to belimited to particular details set forth in the above description as manyapparent variations thereof are possible without departing from thespirit or scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A seed of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, asample of seed of said variety having been deposited under NCIMBAccession No.
 42515. 2. A plant grown from the seed of claim
 1. 3. Thesalad rocket plant of claim 2, which is a plant grown from seed havingbeen deposited under NCIMB Accession No.
 42515. 5. A salad rocket plant,or a part thereof, having all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics of the salad rocket plant of claim
 2. 6. A part of theplant of claim 5, wherein said part is a microspore, pollen, an ovary,an ovule, an embryo sac or an egg cell, a cutting, a root, a stem, acell or a protoplast.
 7. A tissue culture of regenerable cells orprotoplasts from the salad rocket plant or plant part of claim
 5. 8. Thetissue culture as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cells or protoplastsof the tissue culture are derived from a leaf, pollen, an embryo, acotyledon, a hypocotyl, a meristematic cell, a root, a root tip, ananther, a flower, a seed or a stem.
 9. A salad rocket plant regeneratedfrom the tissue culture of claim 7 or 8, wherein the regenerated plantexpresses all of the physiological and morphological characteristics ofsalad rocket variety 88-001 RZ a sample of seed of said variety havingbeen deposited under NCIMB Accession No.
 42515. 10. A method ofvegetatively propagating a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZcomprising (a) collecting tissue capable of being propagated from aplant of salad rocket 88-001 RZ, a sample of seed of said variety havingbeen deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515, and (b) producing arooted plant from said tissue.
 11. A method of producing a salad rocketseed comprising crossing a male parent salad rocket plant with a saladrocket parent plant and harvesting the resultant salad rocket seed,wherein said male parent salad rocket plant and/or said female parentsalad rocket plant is the salad rocket plant of claim
 2. 12. A saladrocket seed produced by the method of claim
 11. 13. A salad rocket plantproduced by growing the seed of claim
 12. 14. A method for producing aseed of a 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket plant comprising (a) crossing aplant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, representative seed of whichhaving been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515, with a secondsalad rocket plant, and (b) whereby seed of a 88-001 RZ-derived saladrocket plant forms.
 15. The method of claim 14 further comprising (c)crossing a plant grown from 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket seed withitself or with a second salad rocket plant to yield additional 88-001RZ-derived salad rocket seed, (d) growing the additional 88-001RZ-derived salad rocket seed of step (c) to yield additional 88-001RZ-derived salad rocket plants, and (e) repeating the crossing andgrowing of steps (c) and (d) for an additional 3-10 generations togenerate further 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket plants, and (f) wherebyseed of a 88-001 RZ-derived salad rocket plant forms.
 16. A seedproduced by the method of claim
 14. 17. A method of introducing at leastone new trait into a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ comprising:(a) crossing a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, representativeseed of which having been deposited under NCIMB Accession No. 42515,with a second salad rocket plant that comprises at least one new traitto produce progeny seed; (b) harvesting and planting the progeny seed toproduce at least one progeny plant of a subsequent generation, whereinthe progeny plant comprises the at least one new trait; (c) crossing theprogeny plant with a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ to producebackcross progeny seed; (d) harvesting and planting the backcrossprogeny seed to produce a backcross progeny plant; and (e) repeatingsteps (c) and (d) for at least three additional generations to produce asalad rocket plant of variety 88-001 RZ comprising at least one newtrait and all of the physiological and morphological characteristics ofa plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, when grown in the sameenvironmental conditions.
 18. A method of producing a plant of saladrocket variety 88-001 RZ comprising at least one new trait, the methodcomprising introducing a mutation or transgene conferring the at leastone new trait into a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ, wherein asample of seed of said variety has been deposited under NCIMB AccessionNo.
 42515. 19. The salad rocket plant produced by the method of claim17.
 20. A method for producing salad rocket leaves as food productcomprising sowing the seed of claim 1 and growing the seed into aharvestable salad rocket plant and harvesting the leaves of said plant.21. A method for producing salad rocket leaves as a fresh vegetablecomprising packaging leaves of a plant of claim
 2. 22. A method forproducing salad rocket leaves as a processed food comprising processingleaves of a plant of claim
 2. 23. A container comprising one or moresalad rocket plants of claim 2 for harvest of leaves.
 24. A method ofdetermining the genotype of a plant of salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ,representative seed of which has been deposited under NCIMB AccessionNo. 42515, or a first generation progeny thereof, comprising obtaining asample of nucleic acids from said plant and comparing said nucleic acidsto a sample of nucleic acids obtained from a reference plant, anddetecting a plurality of polymorphisms between the two nucleic acidsamples, wherein the plurality of polymorphisms are indicative of saladrocket variety 88-001 RZ and/or give rise to the expression of any oneor more, or all, of the morphological and physiological characteristicsof salad rocket variety 88-001 RZ as claimed in claim 2.